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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/8/2009 - Building Appeal - Minutes -- i - December 8, 2009 BOARD OF BUILDING APPEALS December 8, 2009 A public hearing of the Board of Building Appeals of the City of Salem, Virginia, was held after due and proper notice in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 114 North Broad Street, at 9:00 a.m., on December 8, 2009. The Board, constituting a legal quorum, presided together with Charles B. Aldridge, Building Official/Zoning Administrator; and Mary Lutz, Secretary; and the following business was transacted: I. CALL TO ORDER Vice-Chairman Gardner called the hearing to order at 9:00 a.m. II. ROLL CALL Present: David A. Botts; Robert S. Fry, III; and Scott E. Gardner, Vice-Chairman. III. PUBLIC HEARINGS A. This hearing is to further discuss the structure located at 740 North Mill Road (Tax Map # 48 – 2 – 7). It has been deemed by the City of Salem Building Inspections Office to have deteriorated to the extent that it has become unsafe, unsightly, and is so dilapidated as to become dangerous to the safety of the inhabitants of the City of Salem. Vice Chairman Gardner: Before us today is the matter of 740 North Mill Road (Tax Map # 48-2-7). We are here to discuss the condition of the building that has deteriorated to the extent that it has become unsafe and so dilapidated that is dangerous to the safety to the inhabitants of Salem. I guess I should call to see if there is anyone here that wants to speak to the matter. Mr. Aldridge: Yes. I had thought that Ms. Rita Rainey had been the contact person that I had gone to get the names and addresses of everything that we did send. I was kind of thinking that she may come but she really doesn’t have any more interest in it than any of the other heirs. As you all have seen from the list, there are quite a few. It goes back to second generations and maybe beyond in some cases of the letters we sent letters to. This was everybody that we could find. We went online and everywhere to get somebody to pick up some of the letters. We got some that were picked up, several and then some that were returned and the remaining we did not have address information and so forth. According to our council, Mr. Steve Yost, who was unable to be here today, he had some health issues and then didn’t get his package until he already had a conflicting appointment. He said he thought we had done everything. This has been going on for several months and that we did everything we needed to do to notify people, so he thought the next step would be for you to decide what to do with the property. Vice Chairman Gardner: It appears to me that there may be as many as 20-30 family members or owners or heirs of this property and looks to me as if you had at least sent notices to about 13 or 14 and about 10 of those were actually received. Mr. Aldridge: And of the ones that were received we have gotten no response. - ii - December 8, 2009 Vice Chairman Gardner: There has been no response? Mr. Aldridge: There has been no response for or against. Ms. Lutz: We also asked them when we sent the letters, if they knew any other family member information that they needed to let us know within the 60 day period and we received nothing. Vice Chairman Gardner: Does the Board have any questions as far as notice to the potential owners of the property? Board Member Botts: It appears that due diligence has taken place and all notifications have gone out in a legal matter. I’d like to make a motion that we proceed with the demolition. Board Member Frye: Second. ON MOTION MADE BY BOARD MEMBER BOTTS, SECONDED AND AMENDED BY BOARD MEMBER FRY, AND DULY CARRIED, the Board is of the opinion and it is accordingly so ordered that; a. The property is deemed dilapidated and should be demolished. David A. Botts Aye Robert S. Fry, III Aye Scott E Gardner Aye Mr. Aldridge: Okay, we will take it from here and do notify the folks that we have been in touch with that it was voted on to demo and it will be demoed on a certain timeframe. Ms. Rainey asked me to let her know that if they wanted to get stuff out of it just for a keepsake and I told them that they could up until this hearing. After this hearing they would not be permitted for safety issues. Hopefully all of them have got what they need out of it. We will go ahead and process it and tear it down. B. There were no other petitions presented before the Board. VI. PUBLIC ADDRESSES None VII. UNFINISHED BUSINESS None VIII. NEW BUSINESS None IX. ADJOURNMENT Vice Chairman Gardner adjourned at 9:10 a.m. ATTEST: Scott E. Gardner, Chairman Board of Building Appeals